


Christmas Traditions

by corvids_5



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Egg Nog Pining, F/M, Oral Sex, Rancid Christmas Decorations, Slightly Demanding Ben
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-24 15:39:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17103353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/corvids_5/pseuds/corvids_5
Summary: Ben was never into the whole Holiday traditions. Until a certain someone in his life requested a Christmas tree. It all went to hell from there. Lets take a ride with our favorite couple. A glimpse into a single day of the year, centered around the Holiday season.





	1. Regurgitation of The North Pole

**Author's Note:**

> I own zero Star Wars characters. I do this for my own enjoyment. 
> 
> This work is my first work, my first work EVER. It is important to note that this work is not beta read. So, you know what that means. There will be errors, a lot, and they are entirely my own. I am new at this and still striving to get better. I appreciate all constructive feedback. Alright lovelies. Welcome to my word vomit, I do hope that you enjoy.

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145899550@N06/45691610404/in/album-72157698977681610/)

 

**CH – ONE – Regurgitation of the North Pole**

**Christmas 2016**

**Two Weeks before Christmas**

 

Ben Solo knew that this was a bad idea. He stared at the tree that was strapped to the blue vehicle in front of him, it looked ridiculously small under the weight of tree. Why he had to go and fall in love with a woman who drove a toy sized vehicle was beyond him. Every day he would stand on the sidewalk, blue Mini Cooper to his left, glaring into the passenger seat. He cursed the dashboard. Wicked little thing. It had taken him exactly 7 months and 4 days for him to finally leave the damn thing without a single bruise on his knees. Instead he managed one on his head as he nicked it on the way out. He reached for the tree to remove it from the top of the vehicle, his hand catching on a patch of tree sap. This was definitely a bad idea.

His foot twisted on the first step leading up to his apartment and he stumbled forward. His hands began to itch and the sticky residue that was now caked between his fingers made him cross his eyes in annoyance. This was definitely an extremely bad idea.

Rey huffed at the man five steps beneath her.

“You need to pivot to the left Ben. It’s not going to clear the corner.” She waited for his deep grumble to break his silent streak but, it never came. “Ben. You need to _pivot_ to the _left_! _Pivot!_ ”

The words had only just left her mouth before she was greeted with his raspy response, his voice tired and strained. “Will you stop already?! Whose brilliant idea was this in the first place?” His nose was already full of needles. Yes. This was a _fucking_ horrible idea.

On their second year anniversary they had sat on the couch in his apartment cuddled in a warm blanket with hot cocoa between both their hands. Rey was fusing over the fact that Christmas was only a week away and they didn’t even bother to get a tree. Last year he had tried to explain that a tree would only be a hassle. Living three stories off the ground floor, the apartment complex was home to a broken elevator and he had to continuously remind her that she would grumble every time they had to bring up groceries. She was insistent, swore to withhold sex and it was when her big brown eyes looked up from her cup of cocoa with tears rimming them did he finally relent to her request. She had giggled at him, kissed the tip of his nose and buried herself deeper into his side as she continued to watch Tom Felton aka Dreamboat Draco Malfoy let dementors into Hogwarts.

Ben could recall the scene as if it was yesterday, not a moment in time that happened a year and a day ago. He had remembered staring wide eyed at the woman next to him, amazed at how he easily yielded to her request. He had only seen her cry once before and he had sworn that he would never let that happen again so long as she was in his life.

“Oh yes. I remember now. This was your lovely idea. Here,” – thrusting the tree forward in his hands, throwing her off balance – “is the gift you bought with your tears last year.” Rey didn’t like the sound of his voice, it was hard and accusatory. He was clearly upset over this. Pulling back on the tree and allowing her to straighten out he spoke again. “Don’t expect me to help you decorate this foul thing. My fingers are sappy and I only appreciate sticky fingers when they are dipped inside you.” He stumbled over the next three steps as he gracelessly _pivoted_ to the left. He could see the tip of her bun as he peered over the top of the tree, he was waiting for her to respond, and waiting for the glorious argument that was sure to ensue but, it didn’t come. Instead her bun bounced upwards and was replaced with her face smiling down at him. “Wipe that angry face off your face Mr. Scrooge. It is good for budding relationships to have traditions to look forward too. Just think of this as practice for next year.” The grin that was plastered on her face did not escape his piercing gaze. So far their yearly binge watching of the _Harry Potter_ series had been the only Christmas tradition they could agree on. Budding relationship? They had been together three years yesterday, it was safe to say that their relationship had budded.

Clearing the second flight of stairs went much better than the first and by the third flight he didn’t even need for her to yell _pivot_ down to him. They reached the apartment door an hour after they unstrapped the damn tree from the top of her miniature car.

But now, they both stood at the threshold to their shared apartment with a pudgy, 6 foot Douglas fir tree separating them. Instead of bruised knees, he had sappy hands and a bruised ego as he watched her turn the key he had given her two years ago into their apartment door, unlocking it. He shouldn’t have snapped at her, not when he knew down to the tips of his toes and ears that she was right. She deserved to have a normal Christmas, one with cocoa, sugar cookies, tinsel and yes, even a damn tree. Even if it pissed him off.

Rey had already carved out a section near the television for the pudgy tree she had picked out. Grabbing the tree trunk and shoving the tree past the threshold, Ben hobbled over to the tree stand that she had already laid out and filled with water. Placing the tree into the stand he lowered himself to the floor to tighten the stand around the tree, the last thing he wanted was the thing to fall while they were sleeping. Once he was done he let loose a huff of annoyance and made his way to the couch, pulling out his glasses and grabbing his laptop off the side table. He plopped himself on the couch as her watched her flit around the living room. She made it to the closet closest to the door and opening it rummaged through it. After a few minutes she emerged with 4 whole bags of Christmas tree decorations.

“What do you plan on doing to that poor thing? Drown it in color?” His glasses sat low on his nose as he stared at her from over the top of them, his laptop humming in his lap. She smiled over her shoulder at him as she fiddled with the Blu-ray player. Good. It was time for their yearly binge and he needed inspiration for the new piece he was writing. She began to saunter in his direction, hands full of decorations and then the television behind her blared to life. Yellow text flashed across the screen and his heart began to pound inside his chest. _STAR WARS._ This was new, unexpected, far from their first, original Christmas tradition. This was yet another idea that he didn’t like. He glared at her while she plopped herself down between his knees and watched her as she tore into the first bag of decorations, laying them out in front of her. He gaze followed her as she began to thread string through the Christmas ornaments that she had purchased and his eye caught the bead of sweat that fell from her hairline down the base of her neck and disappeared down into her shirt.

“What are you writing?” Her head was slightly turned and he could see her staring from the corner of her eye. She waited for his response before she flicked her eyes back to the screen.

“Dramione fanfiction. If you must know I was waiting for our yearly binge of _Harry Potter_ , I am in need of inspiration on this piece that I am writing. I thought you had a thing for Tom Felton anyways?” His tongue clicked in annoyance. He noticed her neck became ridged and then relaxed almost immediately. She leaned back into him, her head braced against the inside of his left knee and he heard her hum. “I’m sorry,” her voice was thick with something he recognized, “I’ve been on an Adam Driver kick, and something about his face when he takes that mask off, it makes me want to ride it.” Ben scoffed at her confession. “Be careful or you might make me jealous.” He reached out to catch another bead of sweat from her neck and was rewarded with a soft shiver. “Don’t be, he reminds me a little of you. His hair and ears, they are a lot like yours and I wonder if his nose can hit that spot between my legs like yours can.” He could feel the flesh at the base of her neck become heated and he withdrew his finger. His throat became a little dry and his pants a little tight.

They had sat like that for thirty minutes before she finally stood from between his legs and declared that she was done and that it was now time for the decorating to begin

“Are you sure you don’t want to help me?” she pouted in his direction. “No thank you sweetheart. I’ve had enough of that thing for the rest of the month. Besides, I have my own Christmas tradition in mind and it requires you to hurry up and finish” He had spent the last thirty minutes with his warm laptop pressing into his hard cock and he was eager for her to finish the ridiculous task she had set out to do.

“Honestly Ben. I don’t understand why you have to be such a Grinch. It’s Christmas time. Where is your holiday spirit? If I had known that this bloody tree was going to lodge its way so far up your ass then I wouldn’t have suggested we get one in the first place. I figured it would be nice…to spice up the dreariness of this place sometimes during the holidays.” Dreariness? When had she thought this place dreary? Sure it could use some color but, for as long as she had been living with him the apartment had been anything but dreary.

“What did I do now?” she deadpanned into the air.

He looked up from his laptop. “Excuse me?” He was confused. What was going on? When did the beginnings of an argument decide to unfurl? Sure, he was trying to incite one earlier but, now he didn’t understand why she was so upset. Sighing he closed the laptop and pulled his glasses from his face. Shaking the loose strand of hair from his eyes, he stared at her from the couch. There was a sheen of sweat above her lip and he desperately wanted to lick at it. Rubbing the back of his right hand into his eye, he finally relented to her again.

“I’ll help with the lights but, other than the rest will be up to you. Fair?” He saw her head nod from behind a bald patch of tree. He moved to grab one of the bags she had placed on the floor. “Not that one…” he heard her squeak. Huffing he grabbed both bags in front of him and began to walk towards her. “What is the difference between them? Hmm? They are just lights.” His hands extended and he placed the bags at her feet. “I wanted to put colored lights on it.” She smiled as he cringed. Colored lights were, gross…

Ben pulled the lights from the second bag and leaned over to peck her cheek. “Colored lights will look great. It will compliment all the other,” he waved his hand around “garbage you bought.” His mouth pulled into a big smile as he watched her eyes light up. “I’m a junker Ben. I have to have twenty of everything you know that already.” Of course he did, it was one of the things he loved about her. He loved that there was always a stock of his favorite cookies in the cupboard. He never had to worry about ever running out of toilet paper while locked in the bathroom. Thank god he never had to relive the “Reyyyyyyy I need toilet paper!” fiasco of 2014. That was when he learned he needed her in his life. He didn’t ever want to know a single moment without her in it.

He handed her one end of the lights and instructed her to walk around the tree and promised her she could rearrange them to her liking once she was done. Every time she passed him she stood on the tips of her toes and brushed her lips against his. If he had known that stringing lights would lead to this, he would have never objected to getting a damn Christmas tree in the first place. Once the lights had been hung and Rey busied herself with gathering ornaments and tinsel from the floor, he couldn’t help but admire her. Even though she had spent the last few hours calling him a Grinch and a scrooge he couldn’t help but be more in love with her.

When they had begun their relationship neither of them could have guessed that the single night they had spent together would have led to this. In the end he had reluctantly thanked Hux for dragging his ass to that bar and making him down six jack and cokes because if he hadn’t then he would never have had the courage to ask if he could sit next to her and buy her a drink. His face began to flush as he recalled the night that they had met. It was all heated glances and shy touches that eventually erupted into feverish kisses, scorching exploration of each other, that left him blistering and he could still remember the heat of her. The way she quivered around him, gripped him, pulsated and pulled him deeper into her torturous heat. His cock twitched at the memory. It was delicious and unnerved him.

All this tree decorating was turning into some weird foreplay and Ben wasn’t sure he liked the idea of a tree helping him get laid. Pulling at his collar his eyes lingered on her ass as she bent down to fiddle with the red and silver tinsel. It was hot in the apartment, the winter chill always crept in from the broken bathroom window.  His throat was dry and he needed a stiff drink to fight away the stiff prick between his legs.

“You thirsty sweetheart?” Ben asked as he pushed past the couch and into the kitchen. His hands reached for the fridge and he opened it to rummage inside. Moldy carrots, he would need to toss those. A half-eaten green – scratch that – now brown salad. He stood and grabbed the trash can.

“I thought we bought some eggnog when we went to the store the other day? Did you put it back?” She better not have, he was going to be very upset if she did. She thought he was a grouch earlier just wait until he didn’t have any eggnog.

“It makes your breath stink so I asked the cashier to not ring it up while you weren’t looking.” She was beaming at him, straight white teeth and his heart fucking ached. Smacking his lips together he nodded at her. “Coffee then?” Her smile widened.

“You know. I’ve been thinking we should invite your parents over for Christmas this year. I think it would be nice. You haven’t seen your father in a few years and I know your mother would love to see you.” She could feel his eyes boring holes into her back. In years prior she never broached the subject of his parents because she knew it was a touchy one for him. She winced when she heard the coffee pot slam into the back of the coffee maker. Her eyes closed at the slam of the cabinet door. She had been doing a really crappy job all night of trying to get him into the holiday spirit and now she crossed a line. She couldn’t deny the growing ache in her heart for his mother, they talked almost every day and she could no longer disguise the yearning in her voice when they spoke, and Rey knew she missed her son.

“How about we put a pin in that conversation, yeah? We can talk about it sometime soon.” His voice was soft and strained and when she turned from putting the silver tinsel on the tree she watched him rub his eyes as he was leaning against the counter. “Of course Ben. Whatever you need.” She would never have the courage to tell him that it was not just his mother that was desperate, she was desperate also. Starved for any sort of motherly affection. She had never known her parents and the fact that he had two, alive and well, tore at her heart.

The smell of fresh coffee assaulted his nose. Why did she always feel the need to bring up his parents during this time of year? He knew deep down what she wanted but, he was too weak, too much of a coward to face them. He couldn’t forgive them for sending him away to that awful boarding school when he was just a kid. He watched the drip of the coffee as it began to slow and pulled two mugs down from the shelf. He poured the steaming liquid into both mugs and placed the coffee pot back down. Taping his finger on the counter he walked out of the kitchen to the hallway, he needed to turn the thermostat down, he had other plans of how they would be keeping warm tonight and coffee was only one of them. When he emerged back from the hallway, he grabbed the two mugs of coffee and made his way back to the living room. He had his coffee mug to his lips, blowing on the contents, when his eyes caught sight of the bane of his existence. He gulped.

“Do you like it?” His eyes finally met hers and he nodded. The pudgy tree was now a grotesque monster. The colored lights shined brightly in the dimly lit living room. The colorful ornaments that she had spent all night threading were now hanging from the tree, soft pinks, blues and greens twinkled brightly against the colored lights. The red and silver tinsel that once littered the apartment floor was now thrown carelessly onto the tree and hung from every limb and needle. The gold beads (when did she buy those?) were now wrapped around the tree and contrasted horribly with the silver tinsel. There was gold and green bows tied to every other limb in a jagged little pattern and it made his eyebrows raise as he tried to decipher it. The bottom was rimmed with rainbow candy canes, with miniature peppermint ones nestled between them and she must have sprayed fake snow on it while he was in the hallway. His eyes drifted back to the base of the tree and bulged at the Rudolph skirt that fluttered around the tree stand, a large red nose protruding from his apartment floor.

He let a low whistle escape past his lips and into his coffee. His eyes wandered up the tree, the top was missing something. He eyed Rey standing next to the tree, a small red star in her hand.

“I was wondering if you could help me with a little something Ben.” Her eyes met his and then quickly darted to her right and up to the top of the tree. “Could you give me a little boost? I promise this will be the last time.” Her bottom lip was tucked between her teeth. Sighing Ben placed the coffee mugs down on the side table and made his way to her. She giggled when he placed his hands on her hips and hoisted her into the air, just high enough so she could place the star atop the tree. When her feet touched the ground Rey quickly turned and placed a soft kiss to his lips.

“Thank you.” She breathed into his neck as she wrapped her arms around him. “I’m sorry I have been such a pain all night. I thought that having a tree would make this a normal Christmas but, I am starting to come to terms that nothing will ever be normal in this relationship. Which, I am okay with. So long as we have each other I don’t care if we ever have a tree again.” Her face was pressed into his shirt while she waited for his reply.

“You know sweetheart. For our first tree, did you really have to make it look like the North Pole threw up on it?” She heard the rumble in his chest as she pushed away from him. She snatched her coffee from the side table. “I asked if you wanted to help me and you said no.” Her eyes peered at him from over her mug. He reached for her in that moment, taking her mug from her.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said earlier today. About how budding relationships should have some Christmas traditions to look forward too.” His stare was beginning to smolder and she could feel her breath begin to quicken. “All night I have been wanting to lay you down in front of that damn tree. So how about we make a new tradition, yeah.” He watched as she nodded her head in agreement, watched as her throat fought its dryness. His eyes darted to her fingers as they began to fidget with the waistline of her yoga pants. He stepped forward and into her, and with her in his arms he crumpled to the floor.

“Rudolph might want to close his eyes. I’m not sure he will like what he sees.” His grin was wide and her laughter fluttered into the still warm air.


	2. Plight of the Ginger Houses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I own nothing.

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145899550@N06/44598219470/in/album-72157698977681610/)

** CH – TWO – Plight of the Ginger Houses **

** Christmas 2017 **

** Four Days before Christmas **

****

This year was going to be different. This year he was going to try harder, for her sake.

The florescent lights were making his eyes hurt. The slight squeal of the cart wheels as Rey pushed it down the aisles was also giving him a headache. Ben rubbed his fingers together, the tips of them riddled with red ink, a dozen little paper cuts had blossomed over his flesh. The small pain at the base of his skull picked up to a thunderous boom and began to throb with every movement.

“How much longer.” It really wasn’t meant to be a question, just a statement that he said into the air but, when her back went rigid and she began to brush the hair at her neck did he know that she heard him. “I’m not trying to be a grouch. I’m just tired Rey.” It was true. He had spent an unbearable amount of time at the University, Professor Snoke had insisted that he finish grading all 326 finals before the holidays. It was some new sick torture that that deprived and vile man had thought up for him. If it wasn’t one thing it was another and Ben was getting fucking sick of it. The money wasn’t even good and he hadn’t had a proper lay in almost two weeks. He gnashed his teeth at the thought, immediately purging it from his mind. He was tired and every time he looked in Rey’s direction he felt like strangling his growing erection.

Rey smile and nodded at him as her lips moved. “I understand.” Her hand reached out to touch his as she left the cart. “We are almost done here and then we can go home. I promise.” She had leaned in closer to him as she spoke and lightly brushed her lips across his cheek. His fists clenched on the cart and he nodded in understanding.

They had only came to the grocery store to pick up a few holiday essentials. Like egg nog. Rey needed cinnamon and he needed cinnamon egg nog. Yes, that would perk up his spirits. When they rounded the corner and he spotted the egg nog. It was a straight shot and this year, she would not deny him. His fingers clenched the cart and his eyes grew hard.  _Just a few more steps._

“Hey Ben, don’t turn around.”

His face fell. “Yeah?” he called to the woman four feet behind him. Her head was turned towards a holiday endcap filled with Christmas treats.

“We should start a new Holiday tradition. A tradition or a competition. One or the other. Choose.” So bossy. He smiled. He liked it. The real question was what she had in mind. If by holiday tradition she meant something annoying like picking out a tree (he would much rather have a fake one) then he would pass, if she meant decorating her in Christmas candy so he could eat off of her then that was something he could look forward to. A holiday competition sounded fun but, it might bring a side out from both of them that could pollute the whole holiday season and this year he vowed that he would try harder. He needed to choose the lesser of two evils and he wasn’t going to deal with some sappy holiday tradition unless it involved them naked in bed, on the floor, just naked in general. So, he decided he would let their blood boil in competition with one another.

“Competition. May I turn around now?” He turned his head slightly, hoping to catch a glimpse of what she was staring out. From the corner of his eye he saw her hands dart out and grab two boxes from the shelf and heard her feet shuffle towards him. His eyes followed the boxes as she dropped them into the cart.  _Gingerbread houses._ This would be interesting. Turning around Ben moved to look at the shelf that she was staring at just moments ago. Smiling he spotted something that would prove to be interesting. He snagged a bag from the shelf and walked back to the cart depositing it into the bin before Rey could push it away. When they finally reached the spice section she frowned when she noticed that they were all out of cinnamon. “Well, let’s just go get some candy for the houses and then we can leave.” Ben nodded and followed her to the next aisle.

It was only when they finally returned to the apartment and unloaded the bags from the store that Ben realized there was no  _fucking_ egg nog. He slammed the fridge door.

Ben watched as Rey constructed a small divider between them, separating the table into two.  _No cheating,_ her voice rang out across the table, flashing him a mischievous glance, her eyes softened and she smiled. 

_ Gingerbread _

Ben stared at the gingerbread in front of him and looked up at the woman across the table. Her lips had formed a soft smile and her tongue would dart to the corners of her mouth every few seconds as she whipped her fingers up to her lips to pop gumdrops between her teeth. He stared back down at the gingerbread and up at her, a smile on his lips. The soft brown reminded him of her tanned skin, even in a New York winter her color never changed. He inhaled deeply, the spicy aroma reminding him of her sweet scent, when he dragged his nose across her skin bringing her to sweet bliss. His fingers finally brushed against the ginger snap in front of him, picking it up to begin his building. It was solid, yet fragile with the possibility of breaking at any moment. At the thought his fingers flexed, the corner of his gingerbread crumbled. He stared at his hands, large, clumsy, calloused and scarred, he shivered at the thought that the woman before him could trust him with her heart.

_ Royal Icing _

Rey had already began to reach for candies to decorate her house while Ben picked up the icing in front of him.  _Glue, the mortar, Rey._ He knifed at the icing in front of him and lathered it to the side of the gingerbread. Rey was his solid ground, she was the glue that kept his crumbling heart from completely breaking. There were things she knew, things he did and despite it all she was still  _there._ He stared at the crumbs on the cutting board in front of him, the shattered corner he broke only minutes before. Could he be the mortar she needed? Could he possibly fill the holes that he knew littered her heart?

_ Gumdrops _

Once he was finished icing his gingerbread pieces and had placed them together, he reached for the bowl of gumdrops. He plucked a few from the top, sugar coated his fingers as he squeezed them together. The soft gelatin turned sticky in his hands and fuck if it reminded him of many things about Rey. Squeezing his eyes shut he remembered the events that transpired only a few hours ago. Rey had finished setting up that godforsaken tree and the coffee he was nursing was burning its way down his throat. She had turned to look at him once she was finished and her eyes smoldered over, the top few buttons of her red blouse undone. He had set down the mug he was holding and walked towards her. His finger reaching out to trace the droplet of sweat that now made its way down her chest. Her eyes closed and her body hummed, beamed like a beacon in the growing shadows. He lowered his head to kiss her eye lids and his right hand moved from between her breasts to her waist. His kisses were slow, methodically placed and spurred on as her fingers grasped for his belt. His face was hidden in the curvature of her neck, her pulse thrumming against his tongue, her skin slick and salty but, the smile that graced his lips as her deft fingers pulled the belt from his waist could not be suppressed. When her hands reached into his hair, he pressed his thumbs into her hip bones, his fingers digging into her back and was rewarded with a sharp gasp as his hands moved to the swell of her ass, soft, yet firm skin yielding as he lifted her from the ground, only to gently position her before the tree. It was a Christmas tradition after all. When he removed her leggings his eye caught on the shine between her thighs and the darkening patch at the center of her panties made his eyes steel over.

_ This was what he lived for. _

When he opened his eyes, the gumdrops had turned to mush in his fist.

_ Candy Canes _

Peppermint. He remembered the taste of her on their fourth date. She had been chewing on a stick of gum and when she kissed him the icy feel of her tongue made his stomach clench. He twirled the stick of peppermint flavored candy between his fingers and stabbed it into a layer of royal icing he had spread out. When he worked late at the University there would be nights she would try and surprise him, he never told her the peppermint tic-tacs she kept in her purse gave her away. He stabbed another candy cane into the icing. He smiled as he recalled another instance, the first time they slept under the Christmas tree she plucked a miniature candy cane from the bottom of the tree and popped it in her mouth, he remembered her humming against his skin as his eyes grew heavy.

“Are you almost done over there?” He was ripped from his thoughts as he heard Rey speak. When he looked up he saw her smirking in his direction. “What were you thinking about over there? You seemed rather lost with that dopey grin on your face.” He stared at her from across the table. He would tell her everything another time, he wasn’t ready to admit that he was rather fond of this traditi – competition just yet. Opening his mouth he smiled and chuckled at her, “I was thinking that it was now time for my secret weapon.” He rose from his chair and moved towards to kitchen cabinets.

Rey eyed him cautiously. Her eyes followed him to the far corner cabinet and she watched as he rummaged through it. After a few seconds he pulled a small bag from the back and began to shake it in her direction, smiling as he began to skip back to the table. She looked between the makeshift divider she had created.  _No cheating_ , recalling the comment she made almost an hour ago and she instantly regretted it. She looked down at her gingerbread house and she felt a little squeamish.  Why was it that she felt the need to use every single ingredient?

“What do you have there?” her voice was small, a mere squeak as she eyed the yellow bag that he had placed on the corner of his side of the table. She wasn’t able to see the label and her brows cringed upwards in frustration. “Just a secret weapon that my mother and father will be sure to love.” The smirk that was plastered on his face was one she didn’t miss. “Some little colorful people who are sometimes sweet and sour. Three guesses as to who the sweet one is? His smirk was wide and she thought he looked rather pleased with himself. “Well, you sir, are a cheater. If I had known – wait what did you say? Your parents?” The shock in her voice was evident. They hadn’t talked about his parents and Christmas in the same sentence since last year. That was the year he told her they would put a pin in the conversation and hold it for a later date. Was today that date? A whole year later? She side eyed him as he began to fiddle behind the divider.

“Yeah. My parents. I thought it would be nice to have them over, you know Holiday season and all. Besides we need someone to judge our masterpieces. Too bad the cards are already stacked against you. Even if Han is on your side, my mother will always be on mine and Han will always side with her. Besides, this little beasts will ensure my victory and then I’ll win and you will lose and then you will have to give me my prize.” He shook the bag of Sour Patch Kids in front of her and laughed.

_ Judges? Prize?  _ What was he talking about? Her look of confusion did not escape him and he bit his lip in slight annoyance. “This was a competition right? The divider and the  _no cheating_. You said so at the store.” He shrugged his shoulders at her and gave her a questioning stare. He watched as she gnawed on her bottom lip. “Well of course it was! Be prepared to lose Ben Solo. Even with your secret weapon, your mother loves me.” She wouldn’t let her face betray her, she didn’t actually think he was taking her seriously when she suggested it. Prizes and judges. Now what was she supposed to do, as she eyed the monster she created and nearly gaged as her stomach churned. His eyes followed her as she rose from the table and made her way to the small cabinet under the sink, they landed on the brown paper bag now firmly grasped in her hand. She walked back to the table and swished the bag open and covered her now finished house. Ben smiled at her amused. “You know sweetheart. Paper bags usually go over things that are normally hideous.” His teeth split across his face and he chuckled as he watched her face flush. Rey turned on her heal and stomped her way across the apartment towards the bathroom. Chuckling to himself Ben worked on the finishing touches of his gingerbread house. Yes, he was sure he would win and she would lose.

When he was finally finished with his masterpiece and it truly was a master piece, he picked up the cutting board it sat on and placed it on the counter, covering it with a paper towel. He turned and scowled at her house, covered in a paper bag. He snickered under his breath and reached for the cabinet under the sink.

Rey had let the hot water blister her back for the better half of ten minutes. Her stomach was a cluster of nerves. She kept playing Bens words over in her head. She had brought up the topic of his parents last year and this year it was finally coming to fruition. Now, she didn’t know how to react. The last time he was in the same room as his parents she could feel the tension in the air, it cracked and twisted around him. He still held a grudge against them for sending him away and it was a rift she wasn’t sure about.

“You are going to start to prune if you stay in there any longer.” Ben’s voice carried over the water. She smiled to herself and reached for the knob. “I’m finished just give me a few.” She reached for the towel that was draped behind the door and wrapped it around her body, swiping her hand across the mirror she grimaced at her reflection and moved to the door that led to their bedroom.

When she spotted him her eyes narrowed and she couldn’t hold back her grin. He was stretched across their bed with a paper bag over his head. “You know Ben, are you trying to tell me I have bad taste in men? Because I don’t appreciate you telling me that my boyfriend is a hideous little beastie, especially when he looks so strikingly familiar.”

Reaching up to remove the bag from his head Ben smiled at her as he pushed himself from their bed and took three long strides towards her. His finger reached out to brush a droplet of water from her chest. He loved the swell of her breast, her lithe thighs and the soft rise and fall of her abdomen when she sighed into his hair as his fingers moved insider her. He smirked at the thought and brushed another droplet of water between her breasts. He quaked remembering the feel of her nails and her teeth as they pierced his flesh, he relished and reveled when his name left her lips.

“Are you worried? About my parents being here tomorrow?”

Rey’s eyes bugged from her head and her throat instantly dried. “Ben! The apartment! Why didn’t you say they would be here tomorrow earlier?!” And just like that his finger remained pointed out in the open air and she began scrambling through the drawers of the dresser. When she was finally done she had pulled on a simple white tee and a pair of tan sweats and with a huff of annoyance marched towards the door. When the first bang of a pot against the sink rang out through the apartment he let out a huff of annoyance. Why was it that they were always so hot and cold with one another? Happy and in love one second and then guttural, screaming and ready to rip each other’s throats out the next. Pinching the bridge of his nose with his hand he turned to the alarm clock that was on his night stand.

4:36 pm. Frowning he nodded his head at the news. It was still fairly early so he guessed he could help her with some of the cleaning that needed to be done. Shaking his head to the left he pondered more. He did spring this news on her last minute and they  _did_  leave the kitchen a mess, not to mention the living room floor still had tinsel covering it from their little tryst at the base of the tree, he palmed at his growing erection, that would have to wait it seemed. His eyes caught a glimpse of something glinting from the window and he moved to throw back the half open curtain.

“Rey! Hey Rey! It’s snowing!” There was a smile plastered on his face and a bit of mischief nestled its way into his heart. “Yeah!” He heard her call back to him. “So what if it is. This is New York Ben. It frequently snows here around this time of the year.” He rolled his eyes at her painfully obvious comment. Of course he knew that but, that was beside the point. Shuffling through their shared dresser he pulled on his clothes, he had a plan and when Ben Solo had a plan, he set out to accomplish it. The carpet was soft under his feet as he made his way to the kitchen. She was standing at the sink scrubbing icing from a spoon and she looked darling. When he finally reached her he tucked her into his chest, his long arms wrapping around her torso and pulling her against him, making sure to nudge his hips forward and up, swelling with pride as he was rewarded with a sharp gasp.

“Come out in the snow with me.” It was a whisper against the back of her neck, his breath fluttering the stray hairs at the base of her skull. Pressing her hips back and nudging at his growing erection, she sighed. “Not now Ben, I’d much rather stay inside, there are things that need to be done in here.” Pressing his nose behind her ear his tongue darted out to lick the sensitive flesh just under it. “If we stay inside, what will you give me?” His voice was husky and swollen with a need that she knew she mirrored. She dropped the sponge and spoon back into the sink, her hands moving to rest her palms on the ledge and then they gripped and her teeth ground.

“What will you give me, if we stay?” he repeated himself, taunting her, pressed her further into the counter.  His nose was brushing against the right side of her neck and his hands had found their way to her breasts and she hung her head as her body thrummed to life.

"Everything, anything. Anything and everything you could ever want from me.”

His hands moved from her breasts and he grabbed her hips whirling her around, her back banging against the kitchen sink, the ledge biting into her skin. She hissed at the contact but, it was swallowed as his lips crashed to hers. An onslaught ensued, the fire of tongues and the clashing of teeth. Her left leg hitched upwards, unknowingly and Ben grabbed it, lifting her from the floor. His tongue continued to dance in her mouth as he walked them to the, now clean, table. He dropped her on the table top and pulled his lips away. When she stared into his eyes the heat pooling beneath her naval clashed against her and her body began to flush.

“Turn over.” He growled into her neck, a soft bite at her pulse point. When he pulled back to look at her face, he caught a glimpse of confusion in her eyes. “Turn over and stick your tight pretty little ass in the air.” Swallowing the lump that had now lodged its way into her throat Rey did as she was asked. She hopped from the table and turned around, leaning down she felt the hard wood press into her chest and the feeling made her knees wobble. Her eyes clamped shut when his fingers began to trace down her spine and the growing wetness between her thighs begged to be touched. The feel as Ben began to trace his fingers up her sides and then back down again made her body shake, it was when his fingers crooked around the waistband of her sweat pants that she bit her lip is sweet anticipation of what was too come. He was leaning over and the feel of him on her back, his stiff cock pressing into her ass, his hands tugging her sweats to the floor, it was too much and made her fingers and toes curl in sweet fucking bliss.

“Ben. Enough with the teasing.” Her voice was wanton and then she felt him move. His body lowering, his lips trailing kissing down her spine as he went. “Spread your legs for me.” His voice was hard against the small of her back and then her body betrayed her. Her back bowed at the sweet friction, his long fingers brushing against the fabric of her panties. “Spread your legs for me sweetheart.” He was on his knees now, turning to press his nose against her center, she could feel him there. When he pulled her panties from her heated flesh, his tongue pressed into her growing heat. Gasping for air her nails tore into the table.  _Gods. What was he doing?_ His tongue swiped up her center and his nose nudged into the sensitive bundle of nerves nestled between her flesh.

_ Taking everything. _

She sighed into the table as he swiped his tongue to the left, swirling and flicking it as he went and unbidden her hips bucked towards his lips. The chuckle that escaped him sent a shiver through her body and his hands gripped at her ass, pressing her to his face. His tongue ran, agonizingly slow up and he twirled it over her soft bundle of nerves, digging his fingers into her ass and pulling her closer until he plunged his lovely tongue deep inside her, he moved a knuckle to draw small circles into her clit. She was going to die but, Gods did it feel so brutally delicious.

His cock was straining against the confines of his pajama pants and with every whimper that the woman above him made it would twitch a little and weep. There was a glistening patch on the front of his pants and he pressed his hips to the air desperate for a touch. Removing his face from between Rey’s legs he began to kiss her trembling thighs.

“Leave this all for tomorrow. Let me,” pressing a kiss to her wet center and darting his tongue out, “worship you.”

“Yes. I would like that…” her voice was a whisper into the wood of the table.

Trembling above the man below her she knew, she already knew that he had already taken everything.

They spent the night tucked in each other’s arms, lulled to sleep by sweet bliss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One day left ~


	3. Tiny Trooper

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do hope that this story was satisfying to some. 
> 
> Like I said before, its a jumbled mess of a story but, one I enjoyed writing.

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145899550@N06/46414942561/in/album-72157698977681610/)  


 

**CH – Three – Tiny Trooper**

**Christmas 2018**

**Christmas Day**

Ben’s fingers clicked incessantly against his keyboard. He had a deadline and he was going to miss it unless he punched out another two thousand words. He didn’t know why he volunteered for the _Dramione Holiday Extravaganza Fest,_ when he had extravagant plans of his own. He just needed to finish this piece, he needed to see if Draco would finally have the courage to step out of the darkness. His middle finger tapped at the center of his glasses, pushing them to their rightful place on his face, when the door to his apartment busted open and in waked the love of his fucking life. When he looked up from his laptop, his eyes met a disheveled woman with a furrowed brow. His fingers reached for his screen and flicked the laptop closed, depositing his glasses into their case, he flung both to the seat next to him and rose.

It took him exactly eight strides to make it to her side and he took the plastic bags from her hands while planting a kiss on her frozen lips.

“It’s coming down pretty damn hard out there. There was four accidents on the road on my way home. Let’s stay in for the night, yeah?” The snow on her eye lashes had begun to melt and he nodded at her. Of course, anything she wanted. Last year he tried and last year he actually enjoyed himself. His parents had spent a few days with them and he could still hear his father howling at the ridiculously grotesque gingerbread house that the woman in front of him created. He had definitely won and he still hung that fact over her pretty little head.

Placing the bags on the counter he suddenly stopped. Her proclamation of wanting to stay in doors for the evening was going to throw a wrench in the extravagant plans that he had initially laid out. Pealing back the first bag he began to put the few groceries that she had purchased away. How was he going to go about wooing her this Christmas if she just announced that she wanted to sit at home and twiddle thumbs?

“Are you going to shag me senseless tonight?” his ears picked up at her question. Oh, he had already planned on it. “You bet your sweet little ass I am.” He reached for the second bag as she reached for the third and they silently fell into the rhythm that they had developed over the years. “It will be nice to stay in this year. Last year your nutter parents had us do just about everything and even I, hated it.” Ben laughed at her confession, he never thought he would be alive the day that she would admit even she was sick of these “holiday traditions”. The fridge opened behind him as he closed the cabinet and turned as Rey slammed the door. “What is so funny to you?” she huffed a strand of hair from her face.

“I just never thought I would be alive to see the day that _you_ were sick of something that involved tinsel and trees. But alas, the power of my mother has no bounds.” He reached for her as she shuffled her feet towards him. “The power of your mother is what I have been worried about. She called me the other day with a particular matter to discuss.” His ears perked up and reddened slightly, he was afraid she would go and say something to her. “She has this disastrous idea that somehow I would make decent wife material. It is so absurd that I think my bark of laughter scared her on the other end of the phone.” She pressed her face into his chest and his chin rested on the top of her head. “Don’t be silly sweetheart, nothing scares that woman. Ever. And besides, I think you would make a fine wife.” He nudged his nose into her hair and inhaled sharply, he wanted to wake to that for the rest of his life.

When she pulled from his chest and smiled up at him his heart began to clench. Did he have the courage to step out of his darkness? He kissed her forehead as her eyes fluttered closed. “How about I put some coffee on and you pop a movie in? We can relax and then later tonight I can watch you open your gifts, while I unwrap you.” His eyes were steel, he was serious. She nodded her head at him and moved towards the living room.

“ _Harry Potter_ or _The Last Jedi_?”

He huffed at her question. There wasn’t really much of a competition anymore. Sure Draco Malfoy looked like a sex God in his black suits and that slithering snake in his arm was pretty damn sexy. BUT. Draco Malfoy had nothing on Ben Swolo and the look in Rey’s eyes every time she saw him on the screen would make his dick twitch. Yes, if she liked it, he would endure it.

_He reminds me of you._ He relished at the thought.

“ _Last Jedi_ , that fight scene makes my heart race.” He called over his shoulder as he poured them both a mug of coffee. Walking to the fridge he reached to grab the creamer and stopped in wonder and awe at the sight before him. It was there, in his fridge, the holy grail of all things holy, the one thing that she had denied him for two fucking years. He reached his hand out for it and stopped midway. A humph of breath caught and released from his throat. _Wife material indeed._ Then his hand rushed forward and scooped up the creamer to the left of the glorious concoction that was cinnamon egg nog and slammed the fridge door.

When Ben finally sat down on the couch Rey was already snuggled into a blanket, toes curled between the couch cushions. He placed her cup of caf on the side table closest to her and grabbed his laptop as he set his mug down. As much as he wanted to enjoy the film, he did have a deadline and he owed it to his fans.

“Must you appease all the squealing fan girls that follow you? Do they even know that you are a man Mrs. DaisyDriver?” She was mocking him in good fun and he didn’t have the heart to tell her that they did. It was the reason they followed his 3 year old story, because he wrote the most glorious smut. He glared at her and she laughed. “Fine but, only for a few okay? Once the first force bond scene happens I want your full attention to that screen.” He nodded his head in agreement. He loved when she was bossy.

When on-screen Rey shot a blaster bolt through a brick hut and when Kylo Ren skidded across a polished linoleum floor, Ben closed his laptop and pulled Rey to his side. They sat and watched the film in quiet contemplation and Ben began to fiddle with the frayed edge of their couch. He couldn’t focus anymore. His mind was reeling with the fact that the plans he had planned for them may not even come to fruition. The storm outside the window howled against the glass. How was he going to convince her to leave the blasted apartment now? He hadn’t taken into consideration that there was going to be a snow storm. Maybe he should have adulted more and actually checked the weather in the middle of winter instead of winging it and planning a romantic winter proposal at their favorite park bench. No instead of being showered in kisses he was going to be pelted with snow.

 When the end credits finally started rolling Ben decided that he was going to take the plunge.

“Care to take a walk with me? I know its storming but I kind of thought it would be nice to spend Christmas at the second place we met. Cause you know the first is some back alley of a bar that closed last year.” He pushed the words out in a rush. “Hey, there are some good memories in that little alley way.” Her face was flushed at the remembrance. “But a walk now? You are kidding right? I’m not going out in that snow storm. Look outside Ben.” He turned his head to the window and the second tree branch from Mr. Timmon (she named the tree a year and a half ago) clattered to the ground. Ben balked at the sudden development. Maybe going outside wasn’t the safest thing to do.

When she finally rose from the couch and waddled like a duck to the restroom he began to wrack his brain for a new idea. His eyes shifted to the tree and found the little Stormtrooper glistening against the light of the television. Yes, he had now come up with the perfect plan. Rising from his seat on the couch he quickly made it to the tree and began to fiddle with the ornament, slipping the small ring that was burning a hole in his pocket on the little Stormtrooper she had hung from their tree weeks ago. She had recited a little made up story about how the little guy was a pilot in disguise and thus named him Han, after his father (he really was a pilot, Alaska Airlines). Picking up the pace Ben barely made it back to the couch when Rey came mumbling through the hallway.

“You know. I think this is the first Christmas that we haven’t really done anything festive. We did all our little traditions earlier this week. We should come up with something to do during Christmas day that doesn’t involve opening up gifts or having sex. You know I love you but, you really know how to wear a girl out.” She rubbed at a sore nipple from the other day. Ben smirked at the action.

“I know sweetheart. Come here” Ben patted the cushion next to him. Hesitantly Rey began to walk towards him and plopped herself on the seat next to him. “Do you trust me?” She looked up into his eyes and nodded. If their five years together had convinced her of one thing, it was that no matter what he would always be there and that she trusted him with every fiber of her being. “Close your eyes darling.” She complied with no hesitation this time. A startled gasp as she felt a soft fabric wrap around her eyes and the darkness became darker. She felt him rise from the seat next to her and he pulled her to stand from the couch. With a hand on her shoulder he spoke, “Follow my voice and I’ll guide you.” Her breath was coming in short pants and her palms were beginning to sweat. She was getting nerves now. “Ben what’s going on? Where are you taking me” Her question was met with a _shuuush_ against her neck and a soft kiss, then they abruptly stopped and they stood there for what felt life forever until he broke the silence with a soft brush of his lips against her ear and her name.

“Rey, from the moment I met you, I knew you would be a hurricane. You are fierce and like ether you have burned yourself into me. You haunt my entire being and no matter what, I will always want to find a way for you to linger on my skin.” His fingers dug into her arms from behind her his face pressed into her neck. She shivered at his words.  His next words were a strangled sob into her body, “I am terrified that one day I will wake up and this,” pressing his nose into her hair and inhaling deeply “will be gone. The very scent of you drives me insane but, beyond that, it is your cunning and wit that I could never live without.” He pressed his chest into her back and nuzzled her left ear with his nose. Her hands began to ache and she was overcome with the need to hold the man who felt vulnerable enough to trust her with these confessions.

Sighing into her neck he continued relinquishing his soul to the woman before him. “When I met you I was lost, so lost, just trying to numb whatever pain that still lived in my heart. Then you walked through those doors at that shaddy bar, I saw a shiny beacon of fucking light that follows a perfect storm and my heart yearned to be warmed by yours. Fucking Hux and fucking jack and cokes. Our first encounter was never supposed to go that way.” He breathed her in again. Softly Rey spoke, “To be fair, I didn’t put up much of a fight. I rather enjoyed myself too.” Ben couldn’t help but chuckle at that because no she hadn’t put up a fight and he knew for a fact that they both enjoyed themselves.

“This wasn’t how this was supposed to go. I had everything all planned out. Then the sky had to go and vomit the North Pole and then you didn’t want to go outside with me because of the damn storm. It was going to be perfect, I had the perfect gift lined up to give you.” He sighed again into her warm neck. “But this, being here, in this place that you have turned into a home over the years, with your silly traditions, this is the place I know we should be, there is no place where this would have felt right.” His fingers were on her neck, slowly reaching for the cloth that was covering her eyes. “Keep your eyes closed until I tell you to open them.” He whispered and then pulled the cloth from her eyes. Her eyes were clenched tightly.

From behind her Ben got down on one knee. “Rey, little trooper Han has a gift for you. Open your eyes sweetheart.”

Slowly, Rey opened her eyes and released a small gasp at the sight before her. Two small rings hung from her little trooper ornament and her finger danced across them, then slowly she turned to find Ben kneeling before her. Her eyes began to water as he began to speak again.

“I never want to be without you. I have loved you, I will always love you. You have lit a fire in me. I want to spend the rest of my life loving you, yearning for you, I never want to escape you.” He took both her hands in his and slid a finger across the fourth finger of her left hand. “Take my hand, now or not at all if you are not ready. Just know that there is one thing that I can promise you and that is with me you will _always_ have a home. Rey, will you marry me?” He was warm, his face felt flushed and his ears prickled with agonizing heat and there was tears in her eyes. His throat bobbed as he desperately tried to quench the dryness that had taken root. Then his eyes began to search her face.

_This is taking too long._

“I want to travel this life with you Ben Solo. From the moment I met you, I always knew I was home.” Her face was red and puffy and Ben couldn’t have pictured her any more beautiful than in that moment. “Yes, you wayward soul, more than all the stars yes. I love you.” She smiled down at him, tears collecting at her chin. He rose from his kneels and held her to his chest.

He crashed his lips to hers and swallowed everything she was willing to giving him.

_This_ was the moment, this very moment was the one he knew he had always been living for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all who have read this story. I was extremely nervous in posting this but, I am glad I did.
> 
> Join us at Reylo Trash Compacter on FaceBook!

**Author's Note:**

> Now, ON TO THE NEXT!


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